farfalle nel paradiso

cheeriowench — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:35:36 GMT

Gus chewed a hole in my Albuterol asthma inhaler. Turns out? Those things'll kill a dog.

So after a $55 call to Animal Poison Control we went off to the Emergency Animal Clinic.

The deal is that just like in people, albuterol can raise a dog's heart rate. And since they are smaller than people, and just inhaled the entire container when they pierced it, it can raise it to the point where their entire cardiovascular system shuts down. It can also dangerously raise their blood pressure. The more unexpected thing is that it binds with the potassium in their bodies, and not enough potassium also leads to the heart stopping. He was panting incredibly hard, like I've never seen. Really sharp breaths through his nose. And his chest was just flying up and down.

So. After $300 worth of tests at the emergency clinic, they determine that yes, his heart rate is elevated, but not to dangerous levels, and his BP and potassium are fine. They're going to keep him and monitor him from now until tomorrow morning, and then check his potassium one last time around 6am. After that, which they predict will be normal, I can take him home.

The people at the clinic were amazingly nice. I told them I was financially, um, screwed, and they tried to do things low-cost. They were calm and comforting and friendly. The vet was really nice and took her time talking to us (Marci went with me, she's such a sweetheart), and seemed really knowledgeable.

As for the poison control people, wtf? $55 for a five minute conversation? They were very helpful, but dude. A full physical at the normal vet costs less. They did also give me a case number, so the vet could call and talk to them, but I'm sticking with like 15 minutes of work tops.

Anyway. Gus is probably okay, but he scared me. I can't really afford this, but what can you do? I'm going to miss him like crazy tonight.

cheeriowench — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:39:19 GMT

I'm bored. Tell me stuff. Dance, monkeys!

You're on my friends list. I'd like to know 27 things about you. Just copy and hit reply and paste in the comments section with answers. You'll be surprised how much you didn't know about your friends! Then copy the meme and see if anyone answers you.

1. Do you have a tattoo?
2. How old are you?
3. Are you single or taken?
4. Eat with your hands or utensils?
5. Do you dream at night?
6. Ever seen a corpse?
7.George Strait or Jay Z?
8. How did we meet?
9. Whats your philosophy on life and death?
10. If you could do anything with me, and have no one know, what would it be?
11. Do you trust the police?
12. Do you like Country music?
13. What is your fondest memory of me?
14. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?
15. Would you cheat ?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Have you ever peed in a pool?
18. Would you hide evidence for me if I asked you to?
19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
20. Which do you prefer - short or long hair?
21. Do you sing in the shower?
22. What's your favorite color?
23. If you could bring back anyone that has passed, who would it be?
24. Tell me one interesting/odd fact about you?
25. What was your first impression of me?
26. Have you ever done drugs?
27. Will you post this so I can fill it out for you?

Also there are still about four movies unidentified in my movie meme. Someone go identify them.

cheeriowench — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:30:27 GMT

Dude, this is a joke, right?

Snopes seems to think so.

cheeriowench — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:49:25 GMT

Also from hippiepixie:

Rules:
1. Pick 20 films you thoroughly enjoyed. (I actually have 22)
2. Find screen captures (stills) for each film, preferably from scenes you like.
3. Post the pictures with the rules; let your readers guess from what movie each still is from. (Readers, no cheating. No google, no looking at livejournal or facebook interests or looking at the file names.) Comment with your guesses. If you know all of them, leave a few for others to guess.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

EDIT: 7, 8, 11, and half of 17 are left, bitches.

cheeriowench — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:00:20 GMT

From hippiepixie:

To take the test your own self:
1. Go to http://www.careercruising.com/.
2. Put in Username: nycareers, Password: landmark.
3. Take their "Career Matchmaker" questions.
4. Post the top umpty results.
5. Bold the ones you've done, and italicise the ones you've considered.

1. Psychologist

2. Sport Psychology Consultant

3. Social Worker

4. Addictions Counselor

5. Rehabilitation Counselor

6. Mediator

7. Marriage and Family Therapist

8. Naturopath

9. Mental Health Nurse

10. Licensed Practical Nurse

11. Religious Worker

12. Community Worker (I have no idea what this is.)

13. Clergy

14. Midwife

15. Speech-Language Pathologist

16. Child and Youth Worker

17. Public Health Nurse

18. Acupuncturist

19. Anthropologist

20. Gerontologist

21. Nurse

22. Recreation Therapist

23. Historian

24. Occupational Therapist

25. Computer Trainer

26. Special Education Teacher

27. School Counselor

28. Nurse Practitioner

29. Activist (Though as Mary points out, I'm not sure how this is a 'career' exactly.)

30. Print Journalist

31. Writer

32. Teacher Assistant

33. High School Teacher

34. Foreign Language Instructor

35. Elementary School Teacher

36. ESL Teacher

37. Critic

38. Dispatcher (I don't know what this is either)

39. Translator

40. Surgical Technologist

cheeriowench — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:24:37 GMT

Gah! Postsecret, what has happened to you? Who is Nicole and what have you done with Frank?

cheeriowench — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 05:10:19 GMT

Further, one of these girls on ANTM is supposed to be a plus-sized model. WHICH ONE IS IT? Not a one of them looks larger than a size two.

http://jezebel.com/gossip/clips/antm-cycle-9-opening-credits-with-new-girls-295341.php

oh good lord

cheeriowench — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:40:02 GMT

I'm the least anti-gay right winger you'll ever meet!

cheeriowench — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:30:53 GMT

Gus is sick. I called the vet and he might be really sick. Taking him in as soon as my mom gets back with the car. Everyone go say a little prayer for my puppy.

cheeriowench — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 01:17:31 GMT

I've had that on my fridge for days, and I laugh every time I read it. I just ate an ice cream sandwich. It was delicious.

cheeriowench — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:57:35 GMT

I have wanted to be a grown-up for as long as I can remember. A real grown-up, not a 'young adult' or whatever the fuck I am.

I want to be grown up, and have my family and a farm and know what I'm doing with my life.

cheeriowench — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:12:48 GMT

For brightpirate and megmunich and Lizzy. Because we are going to grow-up and run away and live on a farm together.

I said I wanna touch the earth
I wanna break it in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly

I wanna sleep on the hard ground
In the comfort of your arms
On a pillow of bluebonnets
In a blanket made of stars

Oh it sounds good to me I said

Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can
Into the wild blue
Set me free oh I pray
Closer to heaven above and
Closer to you closer to you

I wanna walk and not run
I wanna skip and not fall
I wanna look at the horizon
And not see a building standing tall

I wanna be the only one
For miles and miles
Except for maybe you
And your simple smile

cheeriowench — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 01:55:40 GMT

Computer died. A system file is corrupt or missing. I put in the recovery CD and it said it's for the wrong machine.

I don't even have enough money to pay for my student loans this month, so I imagine it will be a while before I'm back.

cheeriowench — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:36:38 GMT

The dog gave me a concussion. I was leaning over the bed to get something at the same time he decided to jump up onto the bed, with his GIANT bone in his mouth. End of bone up + head down = concussion.

cheeriowench — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:11:09 GMT

Guh. I am tired of the people with fliers who hover around metro exits. No, I do not want to sign up for Greenpeace. If I did, I would go on the internet. No, I definitely don't want 20% off whatever is you're giving a pamphlet away for. No, I don't want to give you money to save Israel. No, I don't want to buy Street Sense, no matter how many homeless people it is going to help.

To sum up, no, I do not want a piece of trash. Thank you.

The Greenpeace people are so aggressive, in that weird cheerful way. Hi! Would you like! Let me tell you! SHUT UP. DO YOU SEE ME AVOIDING EYE CONTACT?

Today there were some Jews for Jesus, though, which was kinda fun.

New phone

cheeriowench — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:16:26 GMT

So we've had our cellphones for like two years now, and we're ready for our free upgrade. We can pretty much get any Verizon phone there is for free. But see, I've had this little phone that doesn't even have a camera for two years, so I know NOTHING about cellphones. Any advice on what cool Verizon phone I should get? I could get a pink Razr if I wanted. I've heard that name. Admittedly because Trent talks about them.

Tell me what to get, tech friendly people!

[firan] looooog

cheeriowench — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:59:54 GMT

Shade does, indeed, enter followed by two thugs, but she also enters
from the city gates, and moves at a languid pace in the summer heat.
The wind tangles through her hair, and if she was wearing a palla, it
might pull at that too; instead it sweeps at the skirts of her stola.
She fans herself as she walks, and her thugs look thoroughly
impatient, like they might rather be moving a good deal faster.

Amidst all the joyous drinking and whoring, there comes a time when
Janus must be a responsible sailor. This is one of those horrible,
miserable days. The hulk of a man plods along down one of the Nook's
piers, carrying a large crate upon his thickly muscled back. Once he
gets close enough for some hired hands to do the rest, he drops the
cargo unceremoniously to the ground. "Feckin' heavy," grunts Janus,
grinning as he delivers a friendly slap to one of the lads' backs, not
minding the fact that he nearly knocks the young man over. "Go on
there, brother. Get yer ass in gear and move that cargo! Ain't gonna
put muscle on your bones if you're layin' around all day."

Shade pauses en route across the Nook, and though the light rain
dampens her hair and the gold of her stola, she pays it little in
mind, in favor of the commotion around the ferry. It's not often
anyone's doing anything of interest there; she watches with unabashed
curiosity, already large eyes wide and interested, if, perhaps, a bit
offput by the actual workers. Doing work. Work -- what's that? She
definitely doesn't look like the kind of woman who is familiar with
it. She moves a little closer, to get a better look. Her thugs trail
behind, grumbling.

Janus doesn't know who Shade is, not that said knowledge would be
likely to have much impact upon his reaction. He happens to catch
sight of her watching as he turns for another crate. In that moment, a
less than innocent grin tugs apart his lips. "Well now. Look 'at that,
boys," says Janus, gesturing with a meaty hand toward the audience.
"Sweet lookin' Mes has 'er eyes on us. I knew I hadn't lost it." After
a bit of laughter, the hulking sailor hoists another lumber cube upon
his back, moving it to where it needs to be.

Janus doesn't know who Shade is, not that said knowledge would be
likely to have much impact upon his reaction. He happens to catch
sight of her watching as he turns for another crate. In that moment, a
less than innocent grin tugs apart his lips. "Well now. Look 'at that,
boys," says Janus, gesturing with a meaty hand toward the audience.
"Sweet lookin' Mes has 'er eyes on us. I knew I hadn't lost it." After
a bit of laughter, the hulking sailor hoists another lumber cube upon
his back, moving it to where it needs to be.

Janus can't quite speak until he's relieved of the weight associated
with his cargo. He recovers quickly, though, a thumb hooking under his
sword belt as he grins over at Shade. "'Good day'? What're you, a
noble?" The gladiator snorts amusedly. Making a decision to take a
short respite, he perched upon the edge of a sturdier crate that
hasn't yet been pushed along. It creaks a bit in protest of his bulk,
but ultimately holds together.

Shade blushes as Janus mocks her greeting, and murmurs,
apologetically, "...Sorry. Um. It's just what I'm accustomed to." She
tries instead, "Hi?" Eye contact is brief, a mere flit of it, before
she looks down at the ground instead; yet, she stands tall (nowhere
near as tall as Janus -- fortunately, he's sitting) with shoulders
back and posture formal. "You all look ... very busy," she says. "It's
rare to see much commotion around the West Gate."

"Yeah, well," Janus glances over at the beaten ferry, "somebody's
gotta load the feckin' cargo. Got a shipful of women who won't so much
as let me look 'em over once, and I'm the only one's got enough muscle
to do the liftin'." His sigh is a rather aggrivated one, though it's
soon chased by that same grin. "Why're you curious, anyhow? You got
the whole prim an' proper routine down real good. Into sailors 'er
something?" Janus wags his eyebrows a few times.

Jariko comes in from the north.
Jariko has arrived.

Shade blushes all the darker when Janus wags his eyebrows, and takes a
stumbling step back -- too small to create any measure of distance,
but indication of her embarrassment no less. "N-no," she says,
quickly. "It's just, I spend so much time in the Nook, and so rarely
is anything of interest going on ... I thought ... I'd just say hi."
However clear and pure her voice may be, she speaks abashedly and
stumbles through her words.

Janus settles in upon the crate he'd chosen for a chair, with neither
his grin nor eyes leaving Shade for long. The sailor puts an elbow to
his knee, and then perches his chin upon a fist. "So you're /not/
interested in sailors? That's what you're sayin'?" Lifting his
shoulders once, he sighs a bit dramatically. "Well, if that ain't a
damn shame, I don't know what is. No luck here, boys." Janus shoots a
somewhat clandestine grin toward the help hired to load cargo with
him. He's enjoying making their female onlooker blush, one might
gather.

Wylma arrives from the Western Gates area.
Wylma has arrived.

Feeling she has given some insult, Shade very suddenly says, "No!"
Still blushing, she shakes her head quickly, and says, "I mean, I'm
not interested in /men/." Wait, that didn't come out right. Her eyes
go all the wider, and she tries again, "I mean, other men. I mean, I'm
/married/. It's no offense. To sailors, that is." She fans at herself
with one hand, and it's difficult to tell whether she's blushing due
to embarrassment or flushed due to heat -- likely both.

Jariko skulks in from north of the piers, looking as dirty and
disreputable as normal. Shade is identified first in the crowd of
people; she does tend to stand out with her bright clothing and
cleanly aura. "'ey Shade," he greets with a fond grunt. A closer look
at her leaves him with a furrowed brow. "Wha's the trouble?" He
glances around at the other people nearby, now, and spots Janus.
"You's givin' Shade a hard time, is you?" *Firan*

Wylma steps into the Nook like she owns the place. Well, maybe not
quite like that, but there is definite confidence in her step. Her
gaze is sharp, sweeping about the busy pier, apparently looking for
something or someone in particular. She sort of sifts through the
crowds, not making too big of a ripple as she tries to find one Istems
in particular.

Janus continues to sit, grinning throughout Shade's stumbled attempt
at a reply. The young woman is saved by the arrival of Jariko, who the
sailor seems to recognize. "Trouble? Naw," he replies. "She came on
over to watch us, an' we just started havin' this friendly chat."
Janus pushes away from the crate, his boots thudding heavily upon the
ground as he plods toward Jariko. With a broad grin, the hulk throws
an arm around Jariko's shoulders and says, "How the feck you been,
brother? We gotta do drinkin' soon, catch up a bit."

"N-no," Shade protests, lest there be any skepticism on Jariko's part.
"He was just ... being a sailor, I think. My daddy, though, he was a
mercenary, and sometimes I went on the riverboats, so maybe he was a
sailor sometimes? Or ... just a mercenary. Anyway, I couldn't hate
sailors because of that." She babbles through this, trying so very
hard to repair the offense she's still convinced she's given. "Oh,
Jariko," she says, finally acknowledging the fact that she's talking
to Jariko in particular. "Hi." She smiles, ever so dreamily.

Istems, Istems, Istems. Where are Istems when you want them. Oh helloo
Jariko -- he seems to fit the bill of an Istems, and conveniently,
he's near Shade who might know where the Istems she's looking for is.
"Heyla Shade," the healer greets as she approaches, still a little
wary. Sometimes her welcome isn't all that warm in the old city,
despite recent efforts to patch old wounds. Nods are given to the rest
of the crowd, but she doesn't yet state her business.

Jariko is an Istems, but not a very particular one. He grumbles a
wordless greetingto Janus, shrugging the arm away. "I's fine. Still
alive, ain't I?" He continues to scowl, looking skeptical, until Shade
echoes Janus's reassurance. "Okay. Well. She's married up ta Asalan,
so best ta be careful," he tells Janus, just for information's sake.
It's certainly not a threat in any way. He glances up at Wylma as she
speaks, his blue eyes following her approach. *Firan*

Jariko is an Istems, but not a very particular one. He grumbles a
wordless greetingto Janus, shrugging the arm away. "I's fine. Still
alive, ain't I?" He continues to scowl, looking skeptical, until Shade
echoes Janus's reassurance. "Okay. Well. She's married up ta Asalan,
so best ta be careful," he tells Janus, just for information's sake.
It's certainly not a threat in any way. He glances up at Wylma as she
speaks, his blue eyes following her approach. *Firan*

"Good day, Wylma," Shade returns, her greeting warm. "I've been
drinking ginger tea again," she says, with a cute little crinkle of
her nose. It's at about this moment in time she hears the phrase
'Hydra with a stick up his arse' and though she was perfectly allowing
before, this, she does appear to take insult to, and her gaze goes
very cold and very dark as she glares out at Janus, without saying
anything.

Wylma's usual smirk returns with a bit of good humor as Janus mentions
Hydras with sticks up their arses. "I'm pretty sure y'don't need
t'stick a stick up a Hydran's arse t'make 'em look dour an'
uncomfortable," she notes, despite Shade's obvious dislike of the
phrase. Anyway, she has more important fish to fry, and important
inquiries to make like, "Y'know where Furen's got his smelly arse off
to?" *Firan*

"Depends on what he went an' broke this time." Jariko watches Wylma
sidelong, displaying mild curiousity. "Prob'ly lyin' around the Villa,
f'ee kin walk. Otherwise, who th' feck knows." The total lack of
concern epxressed for this brother-cousin creature is truly touching.

"Fortunately for Furen," Shade begins to answer, although takes a
breath mid-sentence, "I do not nag him enough to keep tabs on his
location at all times. Sorry, Mes Wylma, I don't have the faintest
clue where he's at right now." And oh, does she ever look apologetic
-- guiltily so, as if she's failed in some manner.

Janus doesn't react to Shade's expression, finding it to either escape
his notice or fall beneath his concern. He's a crude brute, and not
much seems to change that. This discussion on Furen falls beyond his
knowledge, and so the gladiator busies himself for a moment with the
work he should be doing. Janus hosts a large crate upon his back and
lugs it toward the West Gate, where the hired help grabs it for
loading.

"Broke his feckin' head's what he broke," Wylma replies to Jariko's
mention of Furen's rather fragile bones. Or maybe it's his ungentle
handling of them that has him visiting his mother's arch-enemy on such
a regular basis. Anyway, she isn't looking for concern, so much as
she's looking for information and as no one seems to be able to give
it to her, her expression sours. "Well I ain't got th'time t'go
a'lookin' fer him. You tell him that I wanna have a look at that break
o' his, an' that he kin find /me/ when y'see him, yeah?"

"Yes, I'll be sure to tell him that," Shade says, voice taking on an
unusual dry note -- for her, at least. "Everyone knows he listens to
me." Which, of course, he doesn't -- or most anyone -- so she cannot
escape the irony of the request. "Wylma, would you like to come over
to visit instead? You should see my new place, and have some cakes,
and tea," she invites, although the glance she extends to Jariko seems
to send him the invitation as well. "I don't suppose you know how to
do hair...?" she tries. It's a stretch. But one never knows with
Wylma! This is definitely not a question she has thought to ask
Jariko.

Cakes? Jariko likes cakes. "I'll do yer hair fer some cakes," he
offers, ever helpful. He shoves his hands down deep into his pockets,
looking happy. Well. Not grumpy. Well. Not scowling. "I kin tell
Furen," he adds in an side to Wylma. "I sees him most days. D'ee say
who gone an' broke his head?"

"He was surprisin'ly mum on that subject," Wylma replies wryly
Jariko's direction, her lips twisted upward into a rather sarcastic
smirk. As for doing Shade's hair, now BOTH her eyebrows slide upward.
"Shade darlin', do I /look/ like I kin do hair? Jariko's more likely
t'do a good job than I am." Which is saying something -- after all,
Jariko is NOT the posterboy for cool hair, now is he? Wyl looks sorely
tempted to agree to it, but glances toward the palace district again.
"I... should prolly go talk to this lord what managed t'break his
knee..." She looks just /thrilled/ at that idea. Thrilled.

Raef has arrived.
Raef steps out of the Opening Gambit.
Raef enters followed by 4 thugs.

Raef steps out of the gambit and pauses almost immediately as he sees
a somewhat large crowd. Well, large for the nook anyway. He quirks an
eyebrow in Shade's direction but doesn't come barging in just yet.

If Shade looks dubious, she looks so only briefly, and what follows is
wide-eyed gullibility. "Really?" she asks Jariko. She glances at him
in an entirely new light, and not an unappreciative one either. "I
wouldn't have expected you to be the type. That's perfect, then! I
have so very many cakes." She turns to Wylma for assurance, and when
Wylma tells her Jariko is likely to be good at hair -- at least, this
is how she interprets it -- she nods with definite satisfaction. "All
right! It's settled. And Mes Wylma, you know you're welcome any time.
Especially if I have to keep drinking ginger tea."

Raef arches a brow higher. Jariko Istems does hairstyling??
"Eh...what's goin' on?" He ventures eventually. *Firan*

"We're going over to my house for cakes and hairstyling," Shade
enthuses at Raef. Her 'we' is a 'we' used with far too little
subtlety, as she looks over at Wylma again.

Raef hrms a little bit as he looks around the nook for a longish
moment. "Yeh got a cake er two I might sneak a nip of?" He asks
without any subtlety as well. Sue him, cakes are a priority. *Firan*

Jariko has long hair. It's tied back into a reasonably neat ponytail.
Sure he can do hair! Jariko's expression looks about as dubious as
Shade's, as she agrees, but only for a passing moment. Then, hey, free
cakes! Certainly Shade doesn't think he's /serious/. So he gives a
pleased shrug and takes a few steps toward the new house. "Ya oughta
come, Shade makes the best feckin' cakes there is." *Firan*

"A cake or a hundred," Shade agrees, perfectly amenable to sharing
cakes around -- especially when they're flooding her pantry. If cakes
could flood. They really squish more than they flood in all honesty.
"So, Jariko," she says, as she begins to leave the Nook, although not
without hesitating for Wylma, first. "What do you think you'll do with
my hair? I'd like something different, perhaps, but really I'd like it
to be manageable, and I was thinking, if it was just arranged a little
better, I'd have an easier time with it..."

There is offer of a new house. Though she'll be hangin' out with
whippersnappers, as it were, the inner imp in Wylma cannot help but
want to see how terribly this is going to turn out. With another
glance at the palace district, a smirk spreads across her pouty lips.
"I think mayhaps ye've sold me," she tells the group in general,
though whether it's the hairstyling or the cakes or the house that've
sold her isn't clear. She also falls into step with the group, still
smirking mightily. Hydran nobles can wait to get their boo boos seen
to.

Shade leads through the Old City and, finally, into a house with a
very neatly-kept -- and likewise, neatly-decorated -- sitting room.
"Here we are," she announces, as if that wasn't perfectly clear.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable, and I'll bring out the cakes.
Jariko, do you need anything? I have brushes and combs upstairs, and
some ribbons, and of course, hairpins, so I'll bring those too." She
doesn't give him one second to protest.

Jariko opens his mouth to protest the ribbons and things, but Shade
has already rushed off. He directs a deeply skeptical look after her,
before turning to Wylma and Raef. "She don't really think I kin do
hair, does she? I mean, feck." As he did the last time he came to
visit Shade, he stands in the center of the room where there's the
least likelyhood of transfering his dirt to any of the furniture.
*Firan*

Wylma steps into the sitting room, as always a bit awed at the
homeliness of Shade's dwellings. She takes a quick moment to glance
around the room, then finds herself a reasonably comfortable seat,
sprawling haphazardly in it. "Well lookit that, Jariko," she tells the
lad with a smirk, "She's got /everythin'/ you'll need t'do her hair up
right pretty." Smirekdie smirk smirk. "I think yer gun hafta do
/somethin'/ to it. I'd suggest removin' any mirrors from the immediate
vicinity afore y'do, though." *Firan*

Raef chuckles a bit and nods. Being one who has no problem taking
other people up on their hospitality he wander over to a chair and
flops down into it. His iron-covered bulk settling quickly as a hint
of silver glints briefly at his neck before disappearing behind his
breastplate again. When Jariko addresses him, he just laughs a bit and
shrugs. "I dunno mate, soun's like she's convinced." *Firan*

Shade returns with a platter of cakes, which she sets upon a table
central to the room and all the chairs and couches. "Please, help
yourselves," she says, extending the offer, once again, to one and all
-- just to be polite. She also, however, carries a basket, and this
she nudges in Jariko's direction. "There's a number of brushes there
-- mostly combs, because brushes just turn my hair into waves -- and
some pretty ribbons from back when I couldn't afford hairpins, and a
couple sets of hairpins..." She has nice combs, too. Jariko will
probably be terrified to touch them. Nevermind touching her loose
ringlets. Finally, she tosses a quilt at Wylma. TOSS.

Raef watchs the quilt sail across the room to Wylma and then he looks
at Jariko again for a long moment, with an incredibly amused look on
his face. One hand rests on his chest, just under his chin, as he
relaxs in his chair and prepares to watch this wonderfully amusing
scene. As his eyes land on the cakes though, he leans forward lightly
to snag a bite.

Cakes! Jariko is eagerly headed toward the platter when the basket is
suddenly in his hands. He looks down into it blankly. "Uh." One comb
is picked up and studied with the look of an anthropologist coming
across an unknown artifact. "Sure, yea. Shade," he looks over at her.
"I can't --" Confession is halted. Shade looks so innocent and
excited. "Can't do it unless you's sitting down," he finishes.

Raef arches a brow and then leans over to whisper something to Wylma.

Meep! Quilty goodness sailing her way! Wylma just barely manages to
grab the quilt out of mid-air, but some of it still wraps around her
face. "Mrrf," she comments ton the quilt, lowering it to spread it out
and have a good look at it. Before she can, however, Raef is
whispering something to her. Again, she lifts an eyebrow, glances
across at Jariko and his hairstyling, shaking her head to murmer
something quietly back. "Hey Shade," Wyl begins as she starts to
spread out the quilt again, "Y'got any lamb stew?"

Shade gives Jariko such an adoring, doeish look, but just as she's
about to sit down, Wylma asks for lamb stew. A hostess must provide!
"One moment," she says, and sweeps back out and into the kitchen.

Shade returns with a bowl of lamb stew, which she sets oh-so-gingerly
before Wylma, before going to take a seat upon one of the couches. She
sits straight-backed, and does something no one here has seen before
-- she takes her hairpins out, and her curls cascade in full about her
shoulders and down her back. She folds her hands neatly in her lap.
"All right, Jariko, I think I'm ready," she declares.

By the time Shade returns with the stew, Wylma has laid out the quilt
so that she can get a proper good look at it. "It's beautiful, Shade,"
she tells the young woman with actual sincerity in her voice. "Much
better'n I could've made," she adds with a dry twist of her lips.
"Thanks fer th'stew," she adds, digging in to satisfy her random
cravings. Mmm. Cravings. In any event, there's dinner theatre in the
form of Jariko looking lost at the girl's platinum locks. She makes a
motion like 'brush it!' but he's already got that much down, and is
doing so of his own accord.

Raef grins a bit at Wylma and nods, before turning his attention to
Shade. "'ey Shade...yeh should 'ave one o' them pointy, crown kinda
'airdos. Always thought they looked regal..." What is he talking
about? Anyone paying attention might notice the impish grin on his
face as he tosses out what he obviously hopes is a difficult
hairstyle. *Firan*

Shade pays remarkably little mind to Jariko, except to wince once, and
very little, when he accidentally snags a curl. Her hair is, to his
relative fortune, well-kept and healthy, so whatever damage he does is
likely to be reparable damage -- on the other hand, whatever damage he
does, he does to hair that someone has obviously taken care to keep
well. "Thank you!" she says to Wylma. "I worked very hard on that
quilt, and it brings great comfort to my family." She looks at Raef
skeptically, and hmmms under her breath at his suggestion. "I don't
know, something crown-like, that might be a bit excessive, you know?
But maybe a change of pace would be nice."

Raef is clearly in this to make Jariko's job as difficult as possible
but at her skeptical response he nods a bit and sinks back into his
chair. "I think it'd look good on yeh Shade." He says simply and
sounds, for the most part, like he has any idea what he's talking
about. Another tasty cake starts to look appealing though and he
reachs out for another smackerel of something sweet. *Firan*

Jariko glowers at Raef over Shade's head. "Is you the one doin' her
hair?" he demands. "So's shut th' feck up." Running the tines of the
comb against his chin to scratch it, he frowns at Shade's head. "You
jus' sit still an' I'll do it." He puts the comb back into the basket
and begins pawing at her hair with his dirty hands. *Firan*

Raef stifles a chuckle when Jariko snaps at him and goes back to
munching on his tasty cake. His single, tasty cake. Raef at least
knows not to speak with his mouth full, so for the moment he sits in
amused silence and watchs.

"I hope yer lil' daughter likes it," Wylma offers, stuffing her face
with lamb stew until she can hold no more. Mm. Stew. She is careful
not to get any of it on the quilt, for that has been placed to one
side with almost loving care. As for the hairstyling, Wyl stays out of
it. She doesn't feel the need to make Jariko's job any harder than it
is -- after all, he's obviously already struggling. Her smirk remains,
not that that's anything new, and it only widens as he starts the
pawing. MAN Shade is going to look sexy when he's through.

Shade may, perhaps, be starting to feel a little worried, as she hears
the scritch of her comb against Jariko's chin, and then feels his
hands in her hair. But she's not worried enough to speak up! "Okay,
very still," she agrees, voice positively exuding trust. Such utter
trust. "How do you like the cakes, Raef? And Wylma, does the stew suit
you? I have some bisque as well, if you'd like that instead...I can
never figure out what I'm craving. The other day I swore I wanted some
kind of fish but I couldn't figure out what it was."

"It's lovely, darlin'," Wylma replies, just BARELY managing to keep a
straight face. It's difficult, and her eyes shine with the mirth she
isn't yet displaying. For Shade's sake. She even goes so far as to
mention, "But not as beautiful as th'twists Jariko is puttin' in yer
hair. I've never seen anythin' quite like that." And that, ladies and
gentlemen, is the honest truth.

From somewhere nearby, you hear a female voice shout, "A'right, what's
this I 'ear about Jariko fixin feckin hair!?"

"W-why are you laughing?" Shade asks, all at once very unsettled. She
lifts one hand to touch her fingers to her lips, lest there be any
food there, or something equally embarrassing. She looks from Raef to
Wylma with imploring eyes, but makes no effort to jerk away from
Jariko. Thank goodness Wylma reassures her. "Oh good," she says, with
a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to hear that!" She is not so glad to hear
someone shouting. "...Would someone answer the door? I'm supposed to
be sitting very still."

Raef sends off another message just before hopping up to see who it
is. "I'll take care o' it." *Firan*

From somewhere nearby, you hear a male voice shout,
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. HEheehehe hehehe. HE's! Hahahahahaha"

From somewhere nearby, you hear a female voice shout, "Jariko! Ya
ain't never done me hair afore. I think I's upset!"

"Don't /think/ I won' feckin' beat yous," Jariko mutters darkly under
his breath while he scowls darkly down at Shade's hair. He gives it a
last tug and then drops his hands. "There. I's done."

Jariko arranges Shade's hair messily into the 'braided pigtails' style.

Wylma listens to the goings on out on the street with even more
amusement. "Jes' that I never figgered Jariko t'be a hairstylist, is
all. An' darlin', you gotcherself th'most unique hairstyle in /all/ of
Anarinuell." That's what Wyl gets for being a mother of 6 -- seeing
the silver lining in everything. Glancing again at the door to the
street, "Sounds like yer gonna hafta set up yer own business, Jariko.
Hairstyles by Istems." *Firan*

"Beat who? What's going on?" Shade asks, only tentatively aware of the
yelling and the laughing. Since Jariko is done, she rises, turns and
thanks him with a beautiful smile, "Oh, I'm sure it's wonderful! I
know I have a mirror around here..." Gulp. She goes in search of a
hand mirror and when she finds one, she looks. And drops it. There's
the sound of breaking glass and she turns to stare, statue-still, at
Jariko. There she is, her hair in messy pigtails, braided stiffly,
tied off with pink ribbons ... staring. At Jariko. Straight at him.

Raef wanders back in looking like he's had himself a good laugh. One
he's back inside, he flops back into his previously-vacated chair and
looks to see what he's missed.

Raef doesn't laugh anymore, ooooo she's angry. He -does- glance from
Jariko to Niobe and give little shifty eye glances like maybe Niobe
should take Jariko and fleeeeee.

Niobe just stops in the doorway at the sight of Shade staring at
Jariko like that. Not to mention the hairdo. A hand moves to cover her
mouth and she turns her blue yes on Jariko. "A'right, I take it back.
I ain't needin ya ta do me hair." *Firan*

"I /told/ you not t'have mirrors around," Wylma hisses Jariko's
direction, sliding out of her seat and leaving the quilt in it as
testament that it's her's. Let's just make sure that nothing terrible
is going to happen here. It's a good thing they've got a healer on
hand!

Twin braided pigtails are perhaps the expected choice for someone with
three young daughters. Jariko shifts, now that he's done, to rest his
weight on one leg. "Er." He watches Shade pick up the mirror with a
narrow-eyed look of concern. He seems to shrink somewhat under the
stare. "'ey," he turns to scowl at Raef, then Niobe, then Wylma. Back
to Niobe. "I ain't never done styled no one's hair a'fore, has I?
Don't think it's so bad, fer not knowin' a feckin' thing about it."
Now that he's broken his gaze from Shade's, he appears reluctant to
meet it again. He looks at her ear instead.

It is difficult, at first, to discern the particular slant of Shade's
expression. Angry? Shocked? Horrified? What it resolves into,
eventually, is the look a mother might give her daughter, upon
examining a particularly confusing piece of artwork. Her response
follows in turn, "That's ... interesting, Jariko." A pause. "What is
it?" Perhaps she does not want to know the answer to this, and indeed,
after drawing a deep breath, she decides, "I think, perhaps, you would
do well, to find me a proper hairstylist, no?"

================================ Classifieds =================================
Message: 13/215 Posted Author
Hairstylist. Tue Jun 19 Jariko
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mes Shade Valerian needs a hairstylist. As soon as possible. Send a
message to her for the appointment, and the bill to Jariko Istems.
Now. Please.
==============================================================================

================================ Classifieds =================================
Message: 13/216 Posted Author
URGENT Amendment Tue Jun 19 Shade
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mer Jariko meant to say 'urgent'. The hairstyling need is urgent.
==============================================================================

Raef glances around seeming much less interested in this whole
situation now that it's devolved into Shade -highly suggesting- that
Jariko find her a hairstylist. The big man looks around for a minute
before deciding that now is perhaps a good time to escape, lest he be
recommended for such a task and he rises from his chair. "Thanks fer
tha cakes Mes Shade, I should prolly be goin'...got stuff ta sort
out." *Firan*

Niobe slips a bit further into the room but by no means anywhere near
the center. Wylma is only just now noticed and she glances at the
woman a moment before looking back to Shade. "Prolly best ya know.
Jus' a ribbon in there?" is asked as she stares at the braided
pigtails with interest. No she's not laughing, it's just a mildly
amused look that gets directed towards Jariko. "Looks about like
Zaya's hair most days." *Firan*

Jariko has a rather hangdog expression. "It's pigtails, ain't it?" He
flickers his gaze to Niobe with a jerky nod. "S'how I does Zayaria's
hair." He reaches up to scrub his hand through his own hair, messing
up the mostly neatly tied ponytail. "Yea, I kin find one. Sure.
Course." *Firan*

As Raef makes good his escape, the healer decides that, now that Shade
has managed to keep herself from doing something drastic, it's time
for her to make a graceful exit. She gives Niobe a nod, folds the
quilt on the chair, and edges toward the door with Raef. "Th'lamb stew
was lovely, Shade, an' th'quilt even more so. I'm... sure everythin'
will turn out fine with yer hair. Good luck," Wylma adds, slipping out
the door.

"All right," Shade agrees, and nods slowly. And calmly. So very
calmly. But it's the fake calm that precedes a storm and that storm
comes closer and closer as hairstylists fail to come out of the wood
work. Finally, with potentially the saddest look ever, she murmurs,
"...My haaiiir."

cheeriowench — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:12:32 GMT

Robert is being a grumpypants over his air conditioning being broken. I don't have any AC at all. Whiner.

That's right, I called you a whiny grumpypants.

cheeriowench — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:35:26 GMT

Hey, karmabum, did you need any vaccinations for Japan? I'm starting to think about planning a trip for next year.

cheeriowench — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:55:39 GMT

I watched Casino Royale the other night with my sister. I liked it, loved Bond, always enjoy poker movies, etc etc. But you know what has continued to bother me? That the bad guy was always using his inhaler improperly. He'd take it and then start speaking. Doesn't work! You have to hold you breath, so as to allow the medication to actually get to your lungs! Unless it wasn't an asthma inhaler (I dunno what else it could be) it was doing him absolutely no good. Must hold breath: I learned this with my ABCs.

cheeriowench — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:57:14 GMT

For aerrin:

cheeriowench — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:52:42 GMT

Hahaha. People are all pissed at Gene for his article, saying it's condescending and arrogant and pointless and stereotypical of Washingtonians. This response made me laugh a lot, atrocious spelling aside:

Falls Church, Va.: I love it that people are maqd at your for charaterizing the type of people who came out of that metro stop, but have no problem charaterizing the only type of person who supposedly can appreciate classical music.

Gene Weingarten: Hahahaha.

I love this man, except for that irritating love of the Baseball Team I Shall Not Dignify With a Name, and Which the Orioles Beat Twice.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/04/09/VI2007040900536.html if you want to listen to all 45 minutes of Bell's 'concert'.

Rebus puzzle

cheeriowench — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 02:32:42 GMT

cheeriowench — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 06:52:16 GMT

Gah. Can't sleep for coughing, and I have an interview tomorrow.

Hate life.

cheeriowench — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:53:13 GMT